Transfer-terminal.



R. H. ROGERS. TRANSFER TERMINAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1912.

Patented N0v.4, 1913.

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ROBERT E. ROGERS, OF SGI-IENEC'IADY, NEW YORK, A SSIG1\TQR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMFANY, A CQRPQ RATION OF NEV YORK.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. Roenns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transfer-Terminals, of which the following is specification.

This invention relates to systems of handling freight in terminal stations, and its object is to simplify existing methods and lessen the cost of operation. 1

For many years package freight has been wheeled about on hand trucks. This is an inefficient and costly method, and is becoming more so every day. The great variety in shape and weight and the number of small consignments forbid the utilization of machine handling as worked out in industrial plants where uniformity in the goods prevails. The problem is further complicated by the multitude of destinations to which small quantities must be delivered.

My invention aims to expedite the movement of packages in terminal stations and reduce the number of men employed in this work. To this end it provides a system of gravity runways, improved trucks, and suitable elevating devices, all combined and operating in the manner hereinafter set forth. The system is applicable to stations where only incoming freight is received and dis tributed to. delivery teams, or to stations where teams deliver outgoing freight to be distributed to the proper care; but it is especially useful instations where freight is taken from the cars of incoming trains and distributed to the cars of outgoing trains for branch line or way delivery. In such a station an incoming loaded freight train is separated into strings of say ten cars each alongside of platforms, the tracks and platforms being inclined on a-grade of say two or three per cent. Parallel with these platforms lies another set of tracks orplatforms for the.

empty outgoing cars. The low ends of the incoming platforms are adjacent to the high ends of the outgoing platforms and both are connected with a wide laterally inclined platformwhich'afiords easy access from one set to the other. At the low ends ofthe outgoing platforms are suitable elevators, preferably endless belt conveyors running up to a transverse viaduct crossing the tracks and having inclined runways down to the high ends of the incomingplatforms Specification of Letters Eatent.

' Patented Nov. 4., 1913.

-, Application filed July 25, .1912. Serial No. 711,603.

The vehicles used for handling the packages of freight are ordinary hand trucks each provided with a detachable third wheel which is swiveled to enable the vehicle to be steered. A. hand brake is arranged to be applied to this third wheel so that the speed of the vehicle can be regulated.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan of a redistributing terminal station showing the trackage and platforms. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Fig. 4- is a view on a large scale of one of the endless conveyers. Fig. 5 is a side ele vation of a vehicle, partly bro-ken away. Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation of the third wheel attachment. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof.

The double lines 1, 2 represent railroad tracks laid parallel to each other in a terminal station. The set numbered 1 is for incoming freight, while those numbered 2 are for outgoing freight. The two sets of tracks are inclined in opposite directions, on a grade of about two per cent, in practice, though the drawing shows a steeper grade for the sake of emphasizing this feature. The low end of set 1 is almost on a level with the high end of set 2.- On these tracks are shown freight cars 3, represented as box cars havingthe usual side doors 4. Adjacent to the tracks are platforms 5; 6, on a level with the floors of the cars 3. The low ends of the incoming platforms 5 are connected with the high. ends of the outgoing platforms 6 by means of a wide transverse platform 7 which'has a general downward slope from 5 to6 of about the same grade as that of the platforms 5, 6.

The vehicles used for handling the freight are ordinary two-wheeled hand trucks each having a detachable third wheel for steering and braking purposes. This third wheel 9 is mounted in a yoke 10 having upturned lugs 11 at each end to retain the handles 12. The fork 13 inwhich the wheel is journaled is swiveled :on a vertical pivot pin 14. Between the armsof the fork is a brake shoe 15 which is connected by a link 16 o a hinged arm 17 on an upright steering post the axis of the pin 141. and thereby cause a swiveling of the steering wheel. The brake shoe can be applied to the wheel by an upward movement of the handle 20 which is fulcrumed at 21 to the steering post and i has a rod 22 pivotally attached to it and also to .the hinged arm 17 so that the lifting of the handle will lift said arm and the outer end of the link 16. The link passes through a slot 23 in a bracket 24 on the form 13 and fulcrums at 25 therein. so that a lift of its outer .endxwill depress the brake shoe on the wheel.

7 It will be understood that the loaded .vehicles run by gravity from the platforms 5 across the platform 7 to the platforms 6, and after discharging their loads continue to the lower end of the latter platforms. Here I provide means for returning said vehicles to the high ends of the platforms 5. A bridge 26 is builtacross the tracks 1, 2, supported on trestles 27 high enough to clear the tops of the cars 8. The bridge is inclined downwardly toward the tracks 1, and runways 28 extend down from said bridge to the high ends of the platforms .5. To enable the truckman to mount to the bridge from the low ends of the platforms 6, ramps are provided. These may be stationary like the runways 28, and the truckmen will trundle their vehicles up by hand, but I prefer to provide mechanical elevators, such as the endless conveyers 29, driven by suitable power, such as the electric motors 30. The conveyers are provided with .transverse ribs 31 or other suitable means to en gage the wheels of the vehicles and carry them and the truckmen up to the bridge.

The procedure of re-distributing the contents .of a train load of through cars to local cars for branch line or way delivery is as follows :A crew or gang consisting pref- 1 erably of five men--three truckmen, one hooker to load the trucks, and .one A truck is i checker to record the loads. loaded in the usual manner, wheeled out onto the platform, and the handles dropped upon the yoke of a third wheel. The truckman gives the load a shove, jumps up on the handles of :the vehicle, and lets it run by gravity down the platform 5, and out upon the wide transverse platform 7 and guides it to and down the proper platform 6 to the particular outgoing car to which he has been ordered to take his load. Here he lifts 1 the handles of the truck off the third wheel yoke, runs his truck into the car and amloads, takes a check bearing the number of the car, reengages his truck with its third wheel, and slides down the remainder of platform 6 to the endless .conveyer 28 which.

lifts him to the bridge 26. Sliding down this, he steers into the runway 28 which leads to his proper platform 5, and gives his check to the checker as a voucher for the proper delivery of the load. Meanwhile the other truckmen have been delivering the loads to other cars in the same manner.

' By utilizing gravity to move the load, more thandouble the usual working speed can be obtained, and each truckman can sustain a high ton-hour average all day, because his physical exertion is reduced to leading and unloading. Three truckmen canldeliver, in a station of average size, as fast as one hooker and .one checkercan prepare and record the loads. These advantages result in a great reduction in the cost of transfer of freight, which is now one of the :heavy items in the total cost of transportation.

If some of the freight is to be delivered to teams instead of to cars, the truckmen will unload it at the :outer edge-of the wide platform .6 which has sufficient space adjacent to it to permit teams to be backed up to receive said freight.

'The drawing shows the two sets of tracks as located alongside of each other, which is the preferable arrangement for compactness and low cost of construction; but it is evident that this is not essential, and other arrangements may in some cases be preferable.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other mea lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Batent of the United States, is:-

1 Means for distributing freight at terminal stations, comprising one or more tracks for incoming cars, ,one or more tracks for outgoing cars, one or more downwardlyinclined platforms extending continuously along both sets of tracks, vehicles adapted to run by gravity down said platforms, and means for transferring said vehicles from j :the low end of the outgoing platform to the high end .of the incoming platform.

2 Means for distributing freight at terminal-stations, comprising one or more incoming tracks, one .or more outgoing tracks, one .or more jdownwardlyinclined platforms extending continuously along both sets of tracks, vehicles adapted to run down said platforms, an elevated incline extending downwardly from near the low end of the o tgoing pl tzf rmt t high end of th incoming platform, m ans for eleva ng said vehicles from said low end to the elevated incline.

3. Means for distributing freight at terminal stations, comprising tracks for the cars, downwardly-inclined platforms extending continuously along said tracks, vehicles adapted to run down said platforms, an elevated incline extending downwardly from near the low ends of said platforms to the high ends thereof, and a mechanical elevator for lifting said vehicles to said elevated incline.

4. Means for distributing freight at ter minal stations, comprising tracks for incoming cars, tracks parallel therewith for the outgoing cars, downwardly-inclined platforms running along the incoming tracks, downwardly-inclined plat-forms extending along the outgoing tracks, a wide transverse downwardly inclined 4 platform connecting the low ends of the incoming platforms with the high ends of the outgoing platforms, a downwardly-inclined bridge crossing the tracks, runways connecting said bridge with the high ends of the incoming platforms, and elevators connecting the low ends of the outgoing platforms with said bridge.

5. Means for distributing freight at terminal stations, comprising downwardlyinclined platforms running along the car forms and in the cars, each of said vehicles comprising an ordinary two-wheeled truck, an independent yoke adapted to receive and support the handles of said ordinary truck,

a wheel swiveled on said yoke, and a steering handle connected to said wheel.

7. Means for distributing freight at terminal stations, comprising downwardlyinclined platforms running along the car tracks, and ordinary two-wheeled trucks, each provided with a detachable yoke to support the handles, a wheel swiveled to said yoke, a brake cooperating with said wheel, and a handle connected with said wheel and brake, for steering and braking.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 2 fth day of July, 1912.

ROBERT H. ROGERS. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

